Construction Jobsite Product Packaging Arrangement

ABSTRACT

A packaging arrangement for a construction jobsite product including a construction jobsite product, a carrying case for carrying the construction jobsite product, a sleeve disposed around the carrying case, wherein the carrying case has a bar code disposed on an outer surface of the carrying case. The sleeve may have a window or opening.

FIELD

This specification relates to power tool packaging and more specifically to carrying eases for power tools and other products.

BACKGROUND

Referring to FIG. 1, one or more construction jobsite product(s) 10, such as a power tool, a drill, a circular saw, a reciprocating saw, a laser level, etc., are typically sold in a carrying case designated broadly at 20. Such case 20 may be made of metal, fabric or plastic. One exemplary case 20 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,754, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

It is difficult to print or paint a detailed description of the item on case 20 for display and sale purposes. Accordingly, a cardboard sleeve 30 containing such information is typically wrapped around the case 20. The cardboard sleeve 30 has a bar code 31 that can be scanned by a store clerk to input the item's SKU number into a computer register. As is well known, the typical computer register is connected to a server. Upon inputting of the item's SKU number, the server provides the proper price information, as well as any other information necessary for the transaction.

A manufacturer may sell two construction jobsite products of varying prices. Such products may be disposed in separate cases 20, where the cases 20 have similar outer dimensions. Because of this, an unethical customer may swap the cardboard sleeve 30 of the more expensive product with the cardboard sleeve 30 of the less expensive product. The customer may then take the more expensive item (with the cardboard sleeve 30 of the less expensive product) to the register. When the item is scanned into the register the customer is then charged a lower amount of money. Furthermore, depending upon the store's return policy, such purchaser may get a cash refund or credit for the more expensive price if he returns the purchased item without the replaced sleeve.

Other manufacturers have provided some item information, such as SKU number or item description, on the case 20, while maintaining the bar code on the cardboard sleeve 30. While such arrangement may limit some fraud, it requires the store clerk to check that the SKU number and/or item description on the case 20 matches the SKU number and/or item description on the cardboard sleeve 30 or displayed on the register. In other words, the fraud may still be committed if the store clerk is not diligent.

SUMMARY

A packaging arrangement for a construction jobsite product including a construction jobsite product, a carrying case for carrying the construction Jobsite product, a sleeve disposed around the carrying case, wherein the carrying case has a bar code disposed on an outer surface of the carrying case. The sleeve may have a window or opening.

Additional features and benefits of the present invention are described and will be apparent from, the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments according to the practical application of the principles thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a prior art packaging arrangement for a construction jobsite product.

FIG. 2 is a packaging arrangement for a construction jobsite product according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Referring to FIG. 2, one or more construction jobsite product(s) 10, such as a power tool, a drill, a circular saw, a reciprocating saw, a laser level, etc., may be disposed in a carrying case designated broadly at 20. Such case 20 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,754, which is fully incorporated herein by reference.

The case 20 may be made of metal or plastic. Preferably, case 20 is made of injection-molded or double-walled blow-molded components. Case 20 may include a name plate insert 50 as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,754.

Case 20 may have a bar code 21 disposed on an outer surface thereof Bar code 21 may be painted or pad-printed on case 20. Alternatively, bar code 21 may be integrally molded unto case 20, or molded as an insert, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,754. Bar code 21 may be printed on a sticker or label, which could be glued on attached, and/or lacquered unto case 20. Preferably, bar code 21 is printed on a sticker or label that self-destructs when removed from case 20. If case 20 is made of fabric, bar code 21 may be screen printed or sewn unto case 20. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that it is preferable to make bar code 21 difficult to remove or separate from case 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, bar code 21 may be disposed on a side surface 20S of case 20. Alternatively, bar code 21 may be disposed on a front surface 20F of case 20. As construction jobsite product 10 or case 20 may have an RFID or Sensormatic tag 22 disposed therein, it is preferable to place bar code 21 near such tag 22.

A sleeve 30 may be disposed around case 20. Sleeve 30 is preferably made of cardboard, shrink-wrap plastic or TYVEK®. Persons skilled in the art will recognize that, if cardboard sleeve 30 covers bar code 21 when is disposed on case 20, a window 32 may be provided on sleeve 30. Window 32 would allow a person to see and/or scan bar code 21 without having to remove sleeve 30. Window 32 could be a die-cut hole or a clear window in sleeve 30.

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A packaging arrangement for a construction jobsite product comprising: a construction jobsite product; a carrying case for carrying the construction jobsite product; and a sleeve disposed around the carrying case, wherein the carrying case has a bar code disposed on an outer surface of the carrying case.
 2. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sleeve has a window.
 3. The packaging arrangement of claim 2, wherein the bar code is visible through the window.
 4. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sleeve has an opening.
 5. The packaging arrangement of claim 4, wherein the bar code is visible through the opening.
 6. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the construction jobsite product is at least one of a power tool, a drill, a circular saw, a reciprocating saw, and a laser level.
 7. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the carrying case is made of metal.
 8. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the carrying case is made of plastic.
 9. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the carrying case is made of fabric.
 10. The packaging arrangement of claim 1 wherein the sleeve is made of cardboard.
 11. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of shrink-wrap plastic.
 12. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the sleeve is made of TYVEK®.
 13. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the bar code is painted on the carrying case.
 14. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the bar code is pad-printed on the carrying case.
 15. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the bar code is molded in the carrying case.
 16. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the bar code is painted on the carrying case.
 17. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the bar code is glued on the carrying case.
 18. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the bar code is printed on the carrying case.
 19. The packaging arrangement of claim 1, wherein the bar code is sew on the carrying case. 